1) constructing a suitable roof. Suppose the roof of the final assembly of all elements and functions, must be at least 150 years. This means that a half-century, including solid wood, such as concrete and gypsum nailable. Avoid at least 3 / 4 "thick, and other decorative materials and prove some well-known longevity a deck of any material or glued laminated roof decoration.

2) Select the right stone. This means that you need to do homework, to understand the difference between your slate. Standard color price and good to go. Size, thickness, type and manufacturing quality is very important. Some leaching of pyrite and stained slate roof. Other serious fading. More difficult to cut thick slabs, and may need more experience. Small stones take longer to install. Some manufacturers of poor quality control. Some diamond stones, some punching, some bad stone kill, others are not. Foreign stone can be a real gamble. There are many issues worth considering. Thickness of the domestic or Canadian manufacturers from a reputable stone washed nail hole is usually a good choice. There are also many foreign countries a good slate, but to find a reliable source, they may be difficult.

3) Before you start - do your homework. Learn headlap. The common mistake to make people aware in the installation of slate roofs. Learn more about how to install the starter course. To co-host of errors in expectations. Watch some video clips. Read more about drip irrigation with marginal and tilt. If necessary, the possible nuances, such as aprons and plywood installed a number of related research, ridge plates, and welding, to name a few. No excuse for anyone to install the slate roof and do not know today, the basic information, which is all anyone here the right fingertips.

4) having the right tools. You will need at least one knife stone, slate ripper, slate hammer. You can buy a slate roof with these free Bible. Take some tools to see a demonstration video clip.

5) Do not cushion to keep your roof waterproof. The cushion is temporary - not permanent. It will fail. If your slate roof depends on maintaining a cushion of water, it is a false roof, improper installation. Slate roof without cushion. Use cushion continue until the installation of the roof water. 30 # considered to be traditional, but a double (semi-circle) for the elderly today are better than it is now felt was a better quality of felt. The cushion will continue until the slate and flashings are installed on the water it makes a good surface to chalk line. Bedding should always be installed in the stone, never above. If you have ice damming, the increase along the eaves headlap.

6) to obtain the right to start the process. Read this article on the importance of streamlining the program. Install tilt - or a wooden one, a bronze one, or use another method, but where to get it. Make sure your start the process enough headlap.

7) a mixture of stone. If the use of slate from a few trays, blend the roof, they take all the pallets once they are.

8) Let your headlaps and sidelaps rights. To condemn the headlap lack of a complete roof. The following is a correct and incorrect headlap headlap portrait. Here is another example of incorrect headlap.

9) Do not walk in the installation of slate. Using the jack and wood. Stage roof right.

10) chalk on the roof deck of your course. Installed along each of a permanent stone (red) marks the stone on the edge of the roof surface, the process of drawing chalk lines. Do not own slate chalk. No "eye" of course. You will lose your headlap If you do not follow this bit of advice.

11) to start up the back of your stone. The startup process should be developed on the back side up, to the edge of the combined slope and the edge of the first training course angle (this is the impulse to lay back down, as in all other slate roof, in addition to starting the process).

12) Do not over nail or screw the slate. Slating nails, shall not drive thus creating excessive tension on the slate, and should be replaced by in-depth, such a nail head in counter-sunk nail holes lie, do not rub against the over-covered stone. This is why a counter-sunk nail holes is important, rather than drilling nail holes. Read more about nail holes.

13) Use a good scintillation material. Copper or stainless steel pan of water is the best. Use at least 20 ounce copper and built the valley gutter. You can use the ridge 16 ounces of copper, to strengthen pan of water and chimney flashing, although the 20 oz better. Table is also a good lead flashing material.

14) Use a good ridge and hip system. Saddle Ridge, Boston, buttocks, hips and buttocks miter copper or ridges, are good. The worst is when you just run the ridge area of slate from the top and nail head exposed, along the tip, they have no other sealant.

15) The use of nails. Do not use galvanized nails. Use copper or stainless steel roofing nails. You can use the hot-dip galvanized corrugated nails too, especially in the installation and then salvaged slate.

16 If you are hiring a contractor -) be a good one. I guarantee that if the contractor is not on this page, he should not have to install a slate roof are all familiar with.

17 If you are using contract documents), make sure it is thorough and detailed. Do not leave any details of the speculation. Spell out everything - headlap, including the size, thickness, origin, color, type and shape of the slate; measure and nail length, type and pan of water to measure; the tilt type, etc., etc. This is a sample contract for the PDF - the Word document .

18) know how to fix the roof. You are likely to break during the installation process some of the stone, you may lose one or two after the slate roof has been installed in the installation process, because of damage to the stone. You should have some link can be used to repair slate roof.